Convertible domestic furniture



C. E, JAMES A. SANiJiLP-NUS FAB W. E. SMHH.

CONVERTIBLE DOMSTC FURNHURE.

APPHCAHOH FILED OCT. 25, I920.

Eatented Jan. 11, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET 5- J51, Smash lands C. E. JAMES, A. SANDiLANDS AND W. E.SMITH.

ONVERTIBLE DQMESTXC FURNITURE.

MFHCATIQN FILED OCT. 25. W20.

Patented Jan.11,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- UNITED. STATES PATENT QFFICE.

CHARLES EDWARD JAMES, OF \VAVERLEY, ALEXANIDER SANDILANDS, OF WOOLLAHRA,AND WILLIAM EDW'IN SMITH, OF WAVERLEY. NEW SOUTH WALES. AUSTRALIA.

CONVERTIBLE DOMESTIC FURNITURE.

Application filed October 25, 1920.

To all 1071077), 2' t may concern Be it known that we, Cnanrns EDWARDJAMES, ALEXANDER SANDILANDS, and lVrL- LIAM EDWIN SMITH, subjects of theKing of Great Britain and Ireland, residing, respectively, at lVaverley,vVoollahra. and lVaverley, New South ales, Australia, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Convertible Domestic F urniture,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to convertible domestic furniture and refersparticularly to an article of furniture which is capable of beingconverted for use either as a single bedstead or single settee or as adouble bedstead or double settee. The invention also comprisesmeans'which may be used with the article of furniture when it is to beutilized as a single bedstead or a single settee and adapted to act as asingle rest seat and a table or as double rest seats or tables.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective viewof the article of furniture erected for use as a single settee with arest seat in position at one end thereof; Fig. 2 a cross section of thefurniture shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 8 a detail view' illustrating fasteningmeans adapted to enable parts of the furniture to be separated forpacking; Fig. 4 a bottom plan view of a rest seat or table; Fig. 5 abroken perspective view of the furniture erected for use as a doublebedstead; and Fig. 6 a broken perspective view illustrating thefurniture erected for use as a double settee.

The article of furniture is constructed of wood to any preferred patternand is provid-ed with vertical end frames 1 furnished with legs; theseend frames have attached to them by hinges 2 a pair of folding endframes 3 also furnished with legs. Said folding frames 3 may be broughtinto juxtaposition withthe end frames 1, or they may be swung on thehinges '2 to the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6, or they may be setangularly to the frames 1 as shown in Fig. 1. The end frames 1 aresecured to each other by longitudinal tie members 4 and 5 which aredetachably carried on brackets 6 aflixed to said frames 1. a removablebolt 7 adapted to pass through slots in the said brackets andlongitudinal members and a butterfly or like thumb nut 8 as shown inSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 11, 1921.

Serial No. 419,439.

Fig. 3 serving to secure the end frames 1 and the said longitudinalmembers to each other.

A support frame 10 is hinged at 9 to the front edge of the tie member fand at the rear edge of said member f is hinged at 11 a. support frame12 upon the rear side of which and at either end thereof is affixed acatch 13 consisting of a piece of metal bent to L-shape adapted toengage an eye 14 attached to each of the end frames 3 when said framesare in extended position shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and the support frame 1is lowered to enable the catches 13 to engage the eyes 14.

Between the tie members 4 and 5 a recess is formed below the supportmember 10. Such recess has a removable wood bottom 15 carried on fillets16 or the like secured to the tie members 4 and 5. Above said bottom 15also carried on fillets 17 or the like secured to the said tie membersis the cover piece 18 of wood;

To enable rest seats or tables to be used in connection with thefurniture when it is to be utilized as a single settee or as a singlebedstead components such as 19 (Fig. 4-.) are provided. These componentsconsist of timber of any suitable shape having secured to them hookedmetal catches 20 adapted to be set respectively on the horizontalmembers of the end frame. and l. The said components are removable fromsaid frames. and they may be positioned on them at either end of thefurniture to form rest seats for a person, or they may be positioned onsuch frames by setting the catches 20 on the horizontal members at theheads thereof to form small tables. or alternatively one of thecomponents may he set on one of the said frames to form a seat at oneend of the furniture, whiie the other component is set on the other ofsaid frame; to form a cable (Fig. 1).

Attached by any suitable means to the support frame 12 at the rear andat either side thereof is a chain 91 which depends therefrom and is freeto have its links en gaged with the hooks 25 fastened preferably to theheads of the end frames 1. Hook and eye fastenings 23 and 28 may besecured to the frames and 1 respectiveiy to enable them to be detachablyfastened. to each other when both frames are juxtaposed.

In each of the end frames 1 and at the rear portion thereof is a slotSaid slots may be made to register with corresponding slots 25 in thesupport frame 10 when said latter frame is in raised position adapted toact as a back rest and set in a position similar to that in which thesupport frame 12 is shown in Fig. 1. The said support frame 10 is heldin the raised position by means of removable pins 26 which are free tobe passed into the slots in the frames 1 and 10 when the respectiveslots therein are made to register with each other.

If the furniture is to be used as a single settee the support frame 12,which is capable of over-folding on the support frame 10 through thehinges 11, is set in the position shown in Fig. 1 by means of one of thelinks of each of the chains 21 being engaged with the hooks 22 on theframes 1. In such position the frame 12 acts as a back rest to a personseated on a cushion situated on the frame 10 when the latter frame islying on the longitudinal members f and 5. The end frames 3 may be setin relation to the frames 1 to enable the components 19 to be positionedbetween them to form either a rest seat or seats or a table or tables ora rest seat and a table. Such arrangement of the furniture may also beused as a single bedstead, and a bed may be positioned thereon bysubstituting if required, a mattress for the cushion carried on thesupport frame 10.

In case the furniture is to be used as a double settee the chains 21 aredetached from the hooks 22 and the support frame 12 is lowered to theposition shown in Fig. 6. When in such position the catches 13 on therear side of the frame 12 engage with the eyes 1 on the end frames 3 andsaid frame 12 is thus supported on the frames 3. The support frame 10 isthen raised on its hinges to the position in which the frame 12 is shownin Fig. 1 and secured in such position by inserting the pins 26 in therespective slots 25 and 24k in the frames 10 and 1 when said slots aremade to register with each other. Cushions may then be mounted on theframe 12 and on the cover 18 carried on the fillets 17 on thelongitudinal members a and 5. The frame 10 when set in the positionindicated acts as a back rest for persons seated on the cushions. Thedisposition of the furniture for use as adouble settee is identical withits disposition when it is to be used as a double bedstead with theexception that the member 10 is arranged in vertical position (see Fig.6). Mattresses are, however, provided on the frames 12 and 10 in placeof cushions when the furniture is to be utilized as a double bedstead.Any suitable type of cushion or mattress may be used in connection withthe furniture. The cushion or mattress when not in use may be stored inthe recess provided centrally of the article of furniture. In Fig. 6 acushion 27 is shown positioned on the cover piece 18.

l i hat we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. Convertible furniture of the type herein described comprising incombination a pair of stationary end frames furnished with legs,longitudinal tie members for said stationary frames, a pair of supportframes hinged to one of said tie members to swing on horizontal axes andadapted to be supported either in vertical or horizontal relationthereto, means for supporting either of said support frames insubstantially vertical position, a pair of movable end frames providedwith legs hinged respectively to said stationary end frames, and catcheson said movable end frames and on one of said support frames adapted tobe engaged to detachably lock the movable end frames and said supportframe to each other when said support frame is in horizontal relation tosaid tie members and said movable end frames are in extended relation tosaid stationary end frames.

2. Convertible furniture of the kind described comprising front and rearcross rails, stationary end frames rigidly connected to the rails andsupporting the same, a com- 'bined seat and back frame pivotallyconnected to the rear edge of the rear cross rail to swing on ahorizontal axis, a second combined seat and back frame; pivotallyconnected to the front portion of the rear rail to swing on a horizontalaxis, the front rail being adapted to support the second frame when saidsecond frame is in horizontal position, means for connecting the secondframe to the end frames and for supporting the second frame insubstantially vertical position, means connecting the first frame to theend frames for supporting the first frame in substantially verticalposition, movable end frames connected to the stationary end frames andmounted on vertical pivots, and means for connecting the first combinedseat and back frame to the movable end frames. 3. The combination with asettee having a stationary end frame provided with rest surfacessubstantially in alinement with the seat of the settee, and an end frameconnected to the stationary end frame, arranged at an angle thereto andprovided with rest surfaces substantially in alinement with the firstmentioned rest frames, of a seat or table member provided withsupporting hooks engageable with said rest surfaces to provide a seatand also engageable with the upper edges of the stationary and movableend frames to provide a table.

In testimony whereof we have affixed our signatures.

CHARLES EDXVARD JAMES. ALEXANDER SANDILANDS. WILLTAM EDWIN SMITH.

